Lincoln City started off the game just like they had done with the majority of last season's games, by making a defensive mistake. N'Guessan, Brown, Burch and Carew couldn't get the ball clear between them and John Carew capitalised on this, sweeping home an effort from twelve yards.

It wasn't the best start that City could have made in recent times, but Ben Wright almost equalised soon after, heading over from a deep Green cross. LJL headed an Oakes cross wide of the target before N'Guessan shot wide from just inside the area.

Steve Sidwell saw him chip go out for a goalkick and Agbonlahor couldn't capitalise on an N'Guessan mistake, although it did take a good save from Burch to deny him.

Not for the first time, John Carew went down theatrically from a Sinclair challenge as he tried to win a penalty, that came just before Knight headed wide of the target. Burch denied Carew from close range before Young's chip into the bank post was safely cleared by the Imps defence.

Harewood, Lichaj and Maloney came on for Carew, Young and Bouma for the visitors. Knight had a headed cleared off the line by Aaron Brown before the Imps deservedly drew level. The Imps won a free kick and Stefan Oakes stepped up for the set-piece. His cross sailed to Janos Kovacs and the defender leapt above everyone to head into the net.

N'Guessan had a goalbound effort saved before Petrov and Routledge went off for Delfouneso and Osbourne. Dany N'Guessan wasted a golden opportunity just minutes later, failing to control a peach of a through-ball from Oakes. Delfouneso forced a save for Burch before Frecklington, Giddings and Beevers came on for Kerr, Brown and Green.

Harewood shot wide despite being free from the defence. Stefan Oakes proved pivotal again, cross the ball in for LJL to place the ball into the net from 6 yards and Ben Wright made it 3-1 within two minutes, latching on to a Frecklington ball.

The atmosphere was electric from the City fans and Pembleton, Clarke and King replaced the impressive Oakes, Graham and N'Guessan. Kovacs had an effort saved by Taylor, but that was the keeper's last action in the game, being replaced by Elliott Paris.

Neither side could manager another shot and the Imps went on to record a fine 3-1 victory.

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